


Read me a Lullaby

by Tsuki_Amano



Series: 365 Stucky Shots [28]
Category: Captain America (Comics), Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Domestic, Fluff, Just pure fluff really, M/M, no spoilers for cw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-14
Updated: 2016-05-14
Packaged: 2018-06-08 08:52:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6847849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tsuki_Amano/pseuds/Tsuki_Amano
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When they were younger and still living in their run-down apartment in Brooklyn, Steve used to stay up late waiting for Bucky to get home. It's a habit that's stuck even till this day. </p><p>To Bucky, Steve's voice is the only thing that can silence the demons in his mind. </p><p>Based on the prompt 'Imagine your OTP. Person A can't get to sleep so they ask Person B to read to them.'</p>
            </blockquote>





	Read me a Lullaby

**Author's Note:**

> So I didn't follow the prompt exactly but I really love the idea of Stucky curled up in bed together with Steve reading to Bucky.  
> *This doesn't follow Civil War at all, in fact, let's pretend it never happened.*

When they were younger and still living in their run-down apartment in Brooklyn, Steve used to stay up late waiting for Bucky to get home. Bucky used to opt for the night shift because he’d get a little extra money for working the late hours and they’d needed all the extra money they could get. But by the time he’d get back to the apartment, he’d be exhausted, just wanting to fall into bed.

Steve would force him to wash up and eat something before curling up next to him in bed, letting Bucky use him as the world’s prickliest teddy bear.

“ _His little house-wife_ ”, as Bucky liked to call him. (Steve had replaced the sugar in his coffee with salt for a week after that jibe). But it was their habit, a habit that stuck with him even till today.

He stayed up late, till Bucky went to sleep.

These days, it was harder for the man to get to sleep. There were a lot of days when his mind wouldn’t be still no matter how hard he tried. On other days he was plagued by nightmares and memories of his past. Steve could count the number of days that Bucky had gotten a solid night’s sleep on one hand, and he’d have fingers to spare.

Once he’d shyly admitted to Steve that he didn’t like falling asleep a lot. It still scared him. When he was asleep, he couldn’t control his mind, and his nightmares were given free reign. Not to mention, he’d added, that sleep reminded him of cryogenesis.

Steve had decided at that moment to keep Bucky company while he was awake, sometimes working on sketches. He’d also grown fond of reading, it was a way for him to catch up with the world, without being overwhelmed. He loved the way the words from a book would rise up from the pages and take over his mind, giving him an escape for a few hours.

It was a little after midnight when he registers the knock at his door. It had to be Bucky, no one else bothered to knock. Clint just came in through the vents, Tony barged in and Natasha got in without him knowing about it. But Bucky, who shared the apartment with him (although they had separate bedrooms), always knocked, still hesitant that he’d annoy Steve.

“You alright Buck?” he called out softly.

Bucky shuffled in, and Steve’s heart twists unhappily as he notices how tired the other man looks. He’s changed into a pair of soft sleep clothes, which are rumpled from turning around in bed. His hair is mussed up and Steve recognizes the look of frustration on his face.

“Can’t sleep?” he asks gently.

Bucky shakes his head angrily. “I’m exhausted, I just can’t… I can’t turn it off. There’s so much noise in my head and it won’t stop.” Steve gets up, cutting Bucky’s train of thought off as he starts to get more worked up. The more agitated he gets, the harder it will be for him to fall asleep.

He pulls the man close to him and lets him rest his head on Steve’s shoulder. Rubbing slow circles on his back, he soothes him.

“It’s ok Bucky, it’s going to be fine. Do you want to go back to Bruce tomorrow and ask him about something to help you sleep?”

Bruce had initially suggested it, but Bucky had been vehemently against it. He’d been drugged enough in HYDRA, there was no way he’d ever go through that again.

He feels Bucky shaking his head and ignores the tell-tale wetness that seeps through the thin cotton of his t-shirt.

“Tell you what, I’m not going to sleep for a while, why don’t you come keep me company?”                                

The lack of protest that Bucky makes worries Steve, but he doesn’t comment on it, instead allowing the man to lay down under the covers, curling towards him. His eyes are wide open, but he’s more relaxed than before which Steve counts as a victory.

Picking up his book, he gets through another few pages, before Bucky’s voice cuts in, soft and inquisitive, “What’re you reading?”

“It’s called the Hobbit. Tolkien wrote it, I always wanted to read it before but we never could aff…I never got around to it.” He didn’t want to tell Bucky that they couldn’t afford it, especially not now.

Bucky looks wistfully at Steve, it’s hard for him to read for extended periods of time. He’s said that it’s hard for his mind to remain silent for that long. But the way that he’s looking longingly at the book in his hands, it gives Steve an idea.

He starts to read again, but this time, he reads aloud.

He keeps his voice soft, careful not to break the blanket of silence that’s descended over the room. Bucky’s breathing becomes deeper, and his body relaxes. Slowly, he curls up closer to Steve before he nestles his head into Steve’s side.

Steve continues to read, letting his voice trace out tales of lands that he and Bucky could only dream about.

He shifts slowly, propping up the book in his lap. He uses his right hand to stroke Bucky’s hair. It takes only a few more minutes before Bucky’s breathing completely evens out and he falls asleep. Steve keeps reading for another half an hour, not wanting to ruin it. But from what he can tell, Bucky is peaceful, his sleep untroubled.

Placing a bookmark to mark his page, he switches off the desk light and switches on the night light he has in his room.

He slides down in the bed, wrapping his arms around Bucky and closes his eyes.

The last coherent thought he has is a mental reminder to ask Sam for more book recommendations.

* * *

 

I hope you all enjoyed this indulgent, tooth-rotting mess of Stucky fluff. I'm on [tumblr!](everydayindian.tumblr.com) Come say hi and watch me pretend I have my life together!

**Author's Note:**

> There's literally no reason for this story except for the fact I couldn't sleep last night. And I decided to convert it into Stucky fluff. Because everyone needs Stucky fluff.


End file.
